


A Bad Example

by Zab43



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Blasphemy, Gabriel is a bad example, Gen, Hastur and Ligur were never nice angels, Pre-Canon, Pre-Fall (Good Omens), The Ineffable Plan (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24001912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zab43/pseuds/Zab43
Summary: Borrowing more than a little from Milton's Paradise Lost the angels question their existence and place in the Ineffable Plan - why is it ineffable for a start? This is set in heaven before the fall, written from an angel's point of view - a soon to be fallen angel.
Relationships: Hastur & Ligur (Good Omens), Hastur/Ligur (Good Omens)
Kudos: 7





	A Bad Example

**Author's Note:**

> Hastur and Ligur are not named, as I don't know their angelic names - I think various suggestions have been made in other fics but I didn't want to commit... It should be fairly obvious who is who though!
> 
> Anyway: they were never nice angels - but what led to their fall? Was it a bad example or were they always destined to fall?

The word was that another meeting was under-way. There were more and more of them these days. Discontent was spreading through heaven. While most of the angels were happy with the status quo some had started questioning their position. Was there any evidence that god was really the sole creator? None remembered being created, they just simply "were". Presumably there had been a time when they "weren't", but did that mean god had created them? If so who created god? If god had existed before them and then created them: why? What was their purpose? Surely they didn't exist solely to tell god how marvellous she was. Or the most treasonous questions of all: had they simply created themselves? There was no evidence to prove what happened. Why should they just believe god, could it be a lie to keep them subservient?

These questions had never bothered the tall angel. He was content to exist in whatever state was proscribed. He didn't feel the need to question. It was strange, as he had more reason than most to question. Unlike most of the other angels he was dark eyed and his blond hair wouldn't conform to the angelic standard. No loosely curled, shiny locks hanging artistically down past his shoulders. His hair was dry and frizzy, didn't grow beyond a few inches, and stuck out at alarming and definitely inartistic angles. He always seemed slightly dishevelled, smudges of dirt on his white robes, folds of cloth falling awkwardly, not fitting properly. He didn't seem to quite fit in. Yet he'd never thought to question it.

Gabriel was rounding up a group to help disperse the latest meeting. Our angel wasn't sought out, but somehow got caught up in the raiding party nonetheless. Gabriel directed the other angels, his confidence and certainty making him a natural leader. He had never questioned the order of things. His was to serve and through such service he was fulfilled. Glory was for god and not for him. He was happy to enforce the acknowledgement of god's glory in these rebellious angels though. To this end he spurred on his assembled group to drag apart the protagonists of the meeting, to disperse the watching, listening crowd. Our angel looked on at first, not taking an active part, but when Gabriel espied him hanging back, lurking almost, he urged him forward to play a more active role. Gabriel moved on, continuing his search for the founder of the rebel group, the arch-malcontent.

Our angel, thus left alone, unobserved and undirected looked about him trying to find a way to prove his worth. He saw a lone angel, small and fine-boned, glowing with celestial light. She was a delicate creature, with ivory robes outlined with gold and brittle curls of almost white hair. He grabbed her roughly by the wrist. As she struggled to escape his grip he grasped her thin wrist more firmly, twisted her small arm hard behind her back earning a whimper of pain. Not stopping at the sound he took her by the shoulder and, steering with her captured arm, escorted her from the hall. Outside he saw others of Gabriel's group. They were releasing their charges, enjoining them to go from this place and listen no more to this treacherous talk. The small angel started struggling, anticipating her turn to be freed. Our angel felt her struggle, but held her still. He was surprised at how easily he'd overpowered her. Although both angels, they were of different rank. The delicate creature of light, finely drawn and glowing, was a Dominion, he a plain angel of ordinary class - a mere messenger, a malakhim. She out ranked him, but he was the more dominant, the stronger force. As she tried to escape his hold he twisted her arm again hearing her yelp of pain. However, he knew his role was simply to disperse the malcontents, to break up the meeting. Punishment for their impertinence was not within his power to deliver. He reluctantly released her and she flew from him without a backward glance.

As he watched the Dominion fly from him he heard Gabriel raging within the hall still searching for the instigator of the meeting. Any misgivings he had about his treatment of the Dominion were assuaged by Gabriel’s anger, his treatment of her was approved by one of the highest archangels. Outside the rest of Gabriel’s hastily gathered host had already departed. Our angel was left alone, or nearly alone. Glancing to his right he saw another angel of the ordinary class. He was unusual in appearance, short and dark with eyes of shining blue, that changed to orange then to a dark green as he watched him. Our angel wondered if he was part of Gabriel's group or with the rebels. While he still pondered this the other angel came closer and took his hand, leading him a short distance from the hall. When he spoke his voice was musical, like the sound of many small bells tinkling in harmony. "You enjoyed that didn't you?" He asked.

Our angel, stunned at first, fast recollected himself to reply "Gabriel instructed the hall be cleared, I was only doing as he bid". The dark angel grinned most unangelically "yeah, but you liked it didn't you? Which part was best, overpowering her or making her squeal?" The tall angel, rubbed his nose, considering the question. He hadn't realised at the time, but the dark angel was right: he had enjoyed it. The sense of power, the Dominion held helpless in his grip, her futile struggles, the ease with which he'd caused her pain. He answered "I liked it when she squealed" the admission shocked him. Angels shouldn't hurt each other, certainly they should not derive a satisfaction from it. The dark angel merely chuckled "I liked that too" he admitted in a lower tone, the tinkling bell-like quality of his voice becoming more strained, slightly discordant, as if in opposition to his unangelic words.

Our angel was confused "she was a Dominion though, I don't understand, shouldn't she be more powerful?" The shorter angel laughed again, a musical sound, beautiful to hear. His words, however, were again at odds with the sound. "Makes you wonder if the order means anything doesn't it? If she is weaker why does she hold power over you?" It was a question our angel had not considered before and had no answer to. His reply was hesitant, as he tried to explain something he did not understand. "It's god's plan I suppose, we must trust in the plan, even if we don't understand. Isn't it ineffable?" He was uncertain and looked at the shorter angel hoping for confirmation. The other angel however simply shrugged saying "why should it be? If god has a plan why doesn't she trust us to know it too?" The pale angel felt he should rebut this, argue against the suggestion that god did not trust him, but he didn't know how. He said "god must have a reason, she created us this way for a reason" again looking unsure. The dark angel shrugged again adding "who knows. Do we even know that god created us? Do you remember being created?" The blond angel was shocked by the question, but couldn't think how to answer. It felt like a dangerous question. "I don't remember" he said honestly "it must have happened though, god told us" he creased his brow in concentration. "How else could it have happened?" He finished. His companion looked up at him and also answered honestly "I don't know, that's what he asked at the meeting".

Our angel jumped at this. "You were at the meeting?" A note of panic had entered his voice "Gabriel said the meeting was wrong, dangerous, it had to be dissolved". The shorter angel smiled, his smile illuminated his face, gold flecks on his cheeks reflected the light and he was beautiful to look at. "You've seen the order doesn't always make sense. Why listen to Gabriel? Why should he know better than us? If the plan is ineffable then he doesn't know it either". Our angel thought this was a good point. His companion continued "how can asking questions be wrong anyway? If god has nothing to hide, why shouldn't we know?" The dark angel squinted up at our angel, a look of genuine curiosity on his face. Our angel had no answer and for the first time questioned what he had been told. The dark angel said "come to the next meeting" the fair angel shook his head, Gabriel had said the meetings were wrong, how could he go? The dark angel had been holding his hand all this while and suddenly lifted it to his lips, kissing it gently. "Come with me, please" such a beautiful voice, so musical, so uplifting, our angel couldn't ignore his plea. "Yes, I'll come" he replied. The two agreed a place to meet and then separated, flying back to their respective choirs. As he flew he noticed a couple of angels close together below him. It was Gabriel, talking to the Dominion he thought he'd seen off earlier. He wondered vaguely why a rebel was talking to Gabriel.

In time for the next meeting the two met up just outside the hall. Our angel was still unsure, still felt he should not be here, but the dark angel was so beautiful. His questions confused him, but excited him too. He wanted to know the truth, know what god knew, understand their purpose. At this meeting the questioning went further, the speaker was persuasive. The tall angel, with the advantage of his height, was able to look around and saw the numbers attending had increased, angels of all ranks were standing together. There was no obvious hierarchy here, all were standing as if equal, was that treachery? He saw again the little Dominion, she seemed distracted looking from the speaker to the door. He looked back to his companion, enjoying holding his hand, the soft contact sending pulses of happiness through his body. Turning back to the speaker he listened with a rapt expression, wondering along with the others why he hadn't thought about this before. As the speaker reached his impassioned conclusion our angel turned to his companion again, gazing lovingly at his face, admiring the golden flecks, the colourful eyes. How could he be considered lesser than Gabriel? Gabriel was coarse in comparison, his violet eyes dull, his strident voice unpleasing. Love was pervasive in heaven, but that was love in general, what he felt now was love in the particular.

There was a sudden hullabaloo at the back of the hall. The meeting was being raided. The dark angel pulled him by the hand, guiding him through the crowd towards a side door. They found themselves alone outside the hall. Our angel turned gratefully to his companion who still grasped his hand. Looking down into his glowing eyes, blue and green with a golden aura, he felt light-headed and happy. He bent down and kissed the other angel gently on the forehead. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few seconds, before walking hand in hand round to the front of the hall. He again saw the slight Dominion, talking this time to Uriel, and wondered why she had been in the hall one moment but outside with Gabriel's mob now. He asked his companion if he could make sense of it. The dark angel frowned, the unexpected expression spoiling his angelic radiance. "She must be a spy" he muttered angrily. The discordant notes of his displeasure were jarring and our angel was pained by it.

They stood together watching the Dominion, listening to the noise from the hall. It seemed to be getting louder, angry shouts clashing against the background hum of celestial harmony. Our angel wondered what was happening, he could hear cries of real pain coming from the angels in the hall now. He remembered Gabriel’s harsh words, his violence in breaking up the last meeting and in his search for the malcontents, was such anger angelic now? He’d felt nothing but love in heaven before, nothing but harmony and devotion. Now he was questioning whether he had been stupid, blind to what was going on around him. Was such discontent, such anger and violence, part of god’s plan? If so, why was it at such odds to their previous harmonious hosannas and serene worship ? He thought back to his conflict with the little Dominion, he had enjoyed hurting her and had thought this unangelic at the time. He had been worried, felt guilty even, about the pleasure he felt in inflicting pain. Now it seemed anger and violence were acceptable, if an archangel could rage as he had seen Gabriel doing, then surely his actions and reactions were nothing to be concerned about.

He felt a tug on his hand. The dark angel followed the little Dominion attempting her discreet withdrawal from the hall where a fight seemed to have broken out in earnest. Our angel was pulled along with him. The Dominion looked back and, on seeing the tall blond and the short dark angels of ordinary rank following her, quickened her steps, spreading her wings ready for flight. "Grab her" growled the short angel not a sign of harmony in his gruff voice. Our angel compiled without thinking, reaching out to hold the delicate wings of the little Dominion. His companion grinned widely, looking menacing. He spoke to his taller companion in a voice with no pretence of musicality "what have we here? A nasty little spy?" Thus addressed our angel replied "I think so, what shall we do with her?" and the disharmony of his rasping tone hurt the ears of the little Dominion. His grip tightened, really hurting her, and she gave a squeak of pain and surprise. Behind her the tall angel smiled, he liked her cries. Wanting more he squeezed again, harder this time, and was rewarded with a scream. He looked at his companion, who also seemed to be enjoying the noise. He was no longer concerned by their enjoyment, Gabriel had shown that anger and violence were acceptable, part of god’s plan, so why shouldn’t he enjoy them?

Behind our two angels, who still held the poor delicate Dominion captive, the fight at the hall had spilled out into the rest of heaven. Gabriel had flown back to get Michael and battle lines were being drawn. The rebellion was beginning. Angels were arming themselves and the war was about to start. A hitherto unknown tension had descended on heaven and discordant sounds rent the previously harmonious air. Not far from the hall the first casualty of the war, a slight little Dominion, lay in a pool of angelic ichor. Her body was observed by two angels, hand in hand, one tall and pale, one short and dark. Both smiled at the memory of the Dominion's screams, interlacing their fingers and leaning close together. After enjoying just one moment more of their happy contemplation they headed back to the hall, ready to join the rebels in the coming war.


End file.
